The Way It Works

February 1, 2011

Gr 8 Up-Walter Davis is an industrious young man who has become homeless through no fault of his own. As he struggles to regain his footing after his mother's debilitating illness and death, the story explores the plight of the unemployed and inexperienced trying to make a living in difficult economic times. Especially intriguing are the details about how Walter maintains some respectability while living out of his car, and how other characters respond when they learn that he is homeless. The plot wraps up a bit too neatly, and some may find the overall tone a tad simplistic. Still, reluctant readers will be drawn to the fast-moving story with its modern, urban setting and sympathetic, true-to-life hero.-Eliza Langhans, Hatfield Public Library, MA

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2010
The Way It Works, one of the series strongest titles, follows 20-year-old Walter Davis from homeless job searcher to profitable small-business owner. With understated, sobering, and detailed realism, Kowalski shows how easily a person can lose everything, and the ingenuity and strength Davis summons to solve daily logistical problems, and fall in love, will hook readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)